It has been a long time since my last blog. Things have been very busy this Summer. I have just finished two wonderful tours with Johnsmith. The first one was in Cork, Kerry and Clare, where there were so many highlights. Every day was so special. We again had John Spillane do a private gig for us and he performed as if he was in Carnegie Hall. A truly amazing gig. He is a great performer and a gentleman also. There was a mad search for his CDs throughout the trip but I think everyone on the tour has got one at this stage. We had a music partner of John’s travel with us on this trip also. Dan and his wife, Mary added so much to the tour that it is going to be hard to do one without them now. We also had Eilis Kennedy and Donagh Hennessy play for us, another truly great night. The music on this trip was perhaps the best ever.

We then headed to Donegal. As usual the scenery up there is so special. It is very varied. There are not that many tourists there also, so the beaches are deserted and that’s great especially at this time of the year when Cork, Kerry, Clare and Galway are over-run with tourists. We also had a great group here and heard some great music also. Don Stiffe played a blinder of a gig for us on our first night. We heard Sharon Shannon at “The Mary from Dungloe Festival”. My favourite night’s music yet this year was at the Ballyshannon Folk Festival, where we heard “Four Men and a Dog”. This was one of the best night’s music I have ever experienced in my life.

We had some firsts also in Donegal. Ellen Fein met our President Mary McAleese in Glencolumbkille. I also performed a druids wedding at the Beltony Stone Circle for Catherine and Craig. Johnsmith sang a few wonderful songs and I performed a “Handfasting Ceremony” It was very moving and I was surprised to see many tears, even from some of the men in our group. People said that I have lost my calling, ( maybe it’s not too late yet)!!!!!!!!!

I am now getting ready for a return to Donegal with Anne Feeney. I am really looking forward to this one also. All the preparations are completed and Anne is returneing from Sweden, where she has spent most of the Summer with her husband Julie.

I am also working on my 2009 schedule which is going really well. It looks like I have 12 tours booked. I have 4 new tour leaders, just 2 more tours to sell. The dollar is also gaining ground, so things are looking up. This year has been great fun but a bit of a struggle, due to the fall of the dollar .

I will finish now but I hope to write again after Anne’s tour